Frame construction for buildings, etc.



April 20, 1926. 1,581,487

" G. A. E. KOHLER FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR suxwmes, ETC.

Original Filed p 25, 1919 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVUS A. E. KOHLEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOB BUILDINGS, ETC.

Application fiIed September 25, 1919, Serial No. 326,180. Renewed July1., 1921. Serial No. 481,981.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAvUs A. E. Konnnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in FrameConstructions for Buildings, Etc, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to frame constructions for buildings, etc., andhas for its object to provide a new and improved construction of thisdescription. The present method of constructing buildings where steel isused as the framework, is expensive, diflicult and requires much laborand skill in the manufacture and handling of the steel, and in theerection at the site of the building. The present invention has amongother objects to provide a frame construction of metal which can becheaply manufactured and transported to the site where the structure isto be erected, and can then be easily, quickly and cheaply erected, andwhen erected forms a strong, durable and efficient structure. Theinvention has other objects which are more specifically set out in thedescription following.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig.1 is a perspective view of one form of frame construction embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing one form of base for the vertical members;

Fig. 3 1s a vertical sectional view through the base of one of thevertical members having the construction shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the several parts at an outer cornerwhere the vertical and horizontal members meet and are connectedtogether;

Fig. 5 is a view showing a construction for connecting the vertical andhorizontal members together which permits the vertical member to bedecreased in size toward t s top of the structure;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1 showing one formof stop for the interior connecting piece;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 5 with someof the parts separated to more fully illustrate the construction.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In carrying out the invention I provide a series of hollow metal memberswhich may have any desired cross sectional form. In the drawings I haveillustrated these members as being square or rectangular. These membersmay be easily and cheaply manufactured at any desired point and shippedto the site where they are to be erected. Out of these members a frameconstruction is formed comprising metal supporting members at an angleto each other, and interlocking devices for connecting these memberstogether to form a rigid structure. In the structure illustrated I haveshown a series of hollow vertical metal members 1. l 1", etc., and aseries of hollow metal horizontal members 2", 2", 2, etc. Suitable bases3 are provided for the vertical members. In the construction illustratedthe base for these members is shown as made of concrete. In theconstruction illustrated there is a vertical base piece 4. for eachvertical member which projects down into the concrete the desireddistance. It may be filled with concrete if desired. This vertical basepiece passes through a metal foundation piece 5. The vertical supportingmember 1 fits over the vertical base piece 4 as illustrated in Fig. 3and rests upon the metal'foundation piece 5. In forming the structurethe vertical supporting members 1 are first placed in position. Thehorizontal members and the next set of vertical members are thenconnected together. This connection is made by means of an interlockingconstruction. One form of this interlocking connection to be used at theoutside corner is illustrated in Fig. 1. In this construction there isprovided an interior connection piece 6 which fits into the two adjacentvertical members 1 and 1", so as to connect them together vertically.This interior con necting piece does not fit the interior of thevertical members tightly, but is arranged so that there is a spacebetween the outer faces of the interior connecting member and the innerfaces of the vertical members. The horizontal members 2 and 2 areprovided with projecting interlocking parts- 8 and 9 which may beseparate therefrom, but which are preferably integral therewith.

' serted between the outer face of the interior connecting piece 6 andthe inner faces of the adjacent vertical members. For emample theprojecting interlocking part 8 may be inserted between the connectingpiece 6, and the inner face of the lower ver tical member 1 and theprojecting interlocking part 9 inserted between the connecting member 6,and'the interior face of the upper vertical member 1", said interlockingprojections taking the position shown in Fig. 5. The upper verticalmember 1 is then pushed down so that its end rests upon the horizontalmembers 2 and 2." If the joint is an interior joint it will be seen thatthere will be four horizontal members connected with the vertical memberas shown for example in Fig. 1, and in this case the entire four sideswould be filled up by the projecting interlocking members 8 and 9.Where, however, the joint is made at an outside corner, there will onlybe two horizontal members, and hence two faces of the connecting piece 6will be exposed. At this corner construction I provide the separateinterlocking members 10 which have interlocking projections 8 and 9similar to those of the horizontal members. These separate interlockingmembers 10 have shoulders 11 which are engaged by the ends of thevertical members so as to act as a support between them in the same waythat the horizontal members 2 and 2 act as such support. The members 10are preferably of such thickness that their faces between the ends ofthe vertical members will be flush with the outer faces of such verticalmembers so as to form a smooth, even construction. A suitable stop ispro.- vided for the interior connecting member 6 so that they areinserted in the vertical member and they will be stopped after beinginserted therein the proper distance, so as to insure their projectingthe proper distance into the upper vertical member. Any suitable stopmay be used, and I have illustrated in Fig. 6 one form of such stopwhich consists of a Z-shaped piece 7 inserted in the vertical member andfixed in the desired position. The end of the interior connecting piece6 rests upon this stop. When the members are connected together withthese interlocking connections, the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 isformed.

In high structures it may often be de sirable to decrease the size ofthe vertical members at the upper part of the structure, as these uppermembers do not have as much weight or strain upon them as the lowermembers.

In Figs. 5 and 7 I have shown one construction for this purpose. Thisconstruction shows the vertical member 1 and a short piece of thevertical member 1 It I rigidity may also shows the horizontal member 2with the interlocking projections 8 and 9 in position between thevertical members and the interior connecting member 6. I then provide aninterior connecting member 6 inside of the member 6 and smaller in crosssection, the size thereof depending of course upon the amount ofreduction it is desired to make in the next vertical member. The end ofthis interior connecting piece 6 projects above the short member 1", andthe end of the interior connecting piece 6. A supporting piece 6" havingan opening therein is slipped over the end of the interior connectingpiece 6" and rests upon the tops of the short member 1 and the interiorconnecting piece 6, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The smaller verticalmember 6 is then placed over the end of the connecting piece 6, and itslower end rests upon the supporting piece 6". It will thus be seen, thatby means of this construction the size of the vertical members may bereduced when and as desired. It is also evident that the interiorconnecting members and the vertical and. horizontal members may be ofany desired shape, and I have for purposes of illustration shown a shapewhich can be easily and cheaply made. If desired, the hollow members maybe filled or partially filled with concrete or other material. Thevertical members for example, may be filled with concrete at the pointswhere the horizontal members are connected therewith, or they may befilled throughout their length, the concrete being inserted after theparts are erected, so as to form a monolithic core for the verticalmembers. I have shown such a filling in Fig. 5. It will be seen that theconnections between the vertical members are such as to form acontinuous support throughout the entire length of the vertical member.It will further be seen that there is provided here a rigid jointbetween the horizontal and vertical members, and this be secured withoutrivets or other fastening device's, although, of course, rivets can beused if desired. Where the members are square or rectangular a perfectalignment of the structure is insured, for when they are set on thesquare or rectangular verticalbase pieces, the structure will ofnecessity be in proper alignment. It will further be noted that when thelower vertical sections are placed in position they support themselves.Vhen the inner interior connecting pieces 6 are inserted in position,pulleys may be attached to them and the other parts pulled up in thismanner, and the expensive derricks and erecting apparatus thus avoided.The building as it were helps itself along as -it progresses in height,and it will thus be seen the structure can be easily, quickly andcheaply erected.

It is of course evident that the concrete or other filling material maybe omitted in part or entirel omitted and that its use will bedetermined by the conditions presented. I have shown the Structure bothwith and without concrete in the members.

-I have'illustrated a particular construction in order to make theinvention clear. The construction may be greatly varied in form,construction and arrangement and parts omitted and other parts used notherein shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention asembodied in the claims hereto appended, and I therefore do not limitmyself to the particular construction shown.

I claim 1. A frame construction comprising metal supporting members atan angle to each other, interlocking devices projecting outwardly fromthe ends of said members for connecting said members together to form arigid structure.

2. A frame construction comprising metal hollow supporting members at anangle to each other, interlocking devices connected with one member andfitting into the interior of the adjacent member so as to hold saidmembers in rigid relation.

3. A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members laterallyprojecting, mterlocking parts for connecting the members together wherethe substantially horizontal vertical members meet, and a filling forthe hollow vertical members.

4. A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members laterallyprojecting, interlocking parts for connecting the members together wherethe substantially horizontal vertical members' meet, and a filling forthe hollow vertical members, said filling extending past the pointswhere the substantially horizontal and vertical members meet so as toform a solid, unitary rigid filling at these points.

5. A frame structure comprising a plurality of'hollow, vertical basepieces, foundation pieces through which said vertical pieces project,hollow substantially vertical supporting members connected with saidvertical basepieces, the vertical base pieces and substantially verticalsupporting mem-' stantially horizontal and substantially verticalmembers together, said interlocking pieces having portions which fitbetween the inner faces of the substantially vertical members and theouter faces of the overlapping connecting pieces connecting saidsubstantially vertical members.

7 A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members, overlappingconnecting pieces connecting the substantially vertical memberstogether, and interlocking pieces connecting the substantiallyhorizontal and substantially vertical members together, saidinterlocking pieces having portions which fit between the inner faces ofthe substantially vertical members and the outer faces of theoverlapping connecting pieces connecting said substantially verticalmembers, and a concrete core extending through said hollow verticalmembers and the overlapping connecting pieces and forming a monolithiccore.

8. A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members, laterallyprojecting interlocking parts connected with the substantiallyhorizontal members and fitting into the interior of the adjacentsubstantially vertical members.

9. A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members, projectinginterlocking arts connected with the substantially horizontal membersand stantially vertical members, and interior constantially verticalmembers, the interlocking projections on the substantially horizontalmembers fitting between these connecting pieces and the inner faces ofthe substantially vertical members.

10. A frame construction comprising metal supporting members at an angleto each other and laterally projecting interlocking devices forconnecting said supporting members together to form a rigid structure,and means for reducing the size of certain of said members as thebuilding progresses.

- 11. A frame construction comprising a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal and vertical hollow metal supporting members, interiorconnecting pieces connecting the substantially vertical members togetherend to end, means for connecting the substantially horizontal members tosaid substantially vertical members, a reducing connecting member on theinside of said first mentioned interior connecting member and whichprojects beyond the end thereof and beyond the end of the associatedsubstantially vertical member, whereby a vertical member reduced in sizema be connected with said end of said reducing connecting member.

fitting into the interior of the adjacent sub- 12. A frame constructioncomprising a plurality of substantially horizontal and ver tical hollowmetal supporting members, interior connecting pieces connecting thesubstantially vertical members together end to end, means for connectingthe substantially horizontal members to said substantially verticalmembers, a reducing connecting member on the inside of said firstmentioned interior connecting member and which pro jects beyond the endthereof and beyond the end of the associated substantially verticalmember, whereby a vertical member reduced in size may be connected withsaid end of said reducing connecting member, a supporting piecesurrounding said reducing connecting member and upon which the end ofsaid reduced vertical member rests.

13. A frame structure comprising hollow vertical supporting members andhorizontal members, and an interior member in the hollow verticalmembers and extending above and below the point where the horizontalmembers are connected to the vertical members.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature this 8th day of September1919.

GUSTAVUS A. E. KOHLER.

